The price of water is going to change in Chatham. Last night the Village Board approved an increase to the cost of water. This increase was 46 cents ($0.46) per thousand gallons. Village trustees stressed that this increase was contractually obligated for the village, and was not up to them. Both trustees and community members expressed hopes that someday the village will have more control over its water supply.

But there was good news for water access in the village. New technologies will make adding water taps for sprinkler systems much cheaper. Before, it cost $1,150 because a new tap had to be added. With the new splitting techniques, village manager McCarthy said a new tap should only cost $300 to add a new meter to an existing line. These savings are only for add ons to existing lines; totally new lines will still cost $1,150.

Senior strategist, statehouse reporter and political correspondent for Springfield Daily. Graduate of District 117 and UIS. Thomas covers stories in both Morgan and Sangamon Counties, as well as statewide politics.

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SJ-R writers march for a contract

2007 was the year President George W. Bush sent the “surge” of troops to Iraq, the iPhone was released, and the subprime mortgage bubble popped. It was also when writers at the State Journal-Register (SJR) last got a raise. Even after forming a union in 2012, the newsroom writers are still fighting to get their first contract with GateHouse Media. GateHouse Media is part of the New Media Investment Group, which acquired the SJR in 2007. They are based in Fairport, New York,

Today, members of the local United Media Guild marched to demand a labor contract. Those negotiations are ongoing in St. Louis, and have made some progress. A deal struck last year will guarantee a one percent raise in September of this year, and a 1.75 percent raise in October of next year. The marchers were joined by members of other local labor unions including AFSCME.

The local United Media Guild is part of The NewsGuild-CWA which represents 25,000 journalists and media workers across the nation.

You can see our interviews with Union representatives in the video player above, and watch some of the march in the player below.

LIVE | Village of Chatham, IL Board Meeting – May 22nd, 2018

Boys & Girls Club unveils new playground

The Boys & Girls Club of Central Illinois has undergone a major facilities improvement thanks to the “Renovation Across the Nation” grant from Lowe’s. This $50,000 grant allowed the Club not just to add a new playground, but also fix the parking lot, HVAC system, and women’s restroom.

While Lowe’s provided the money, that funding went further because of all of the manpower provided by other local businesses and labor organizations. Playground equipment is expensive just to purchase, and installing it is another set of costs as well. Support from Siciliano Construction, Bunn, Equipment Operator’s Local 965, Prather-Tucker Architects, and Carpenter’s Local 270 was a huge multiplier for the grant dollars.

You can watch the full unveiling in the player, courtesy of the Boys and Girls Club. You can learn more about them on the Facebook page or their website.